An Old Fashioned Subscription Drive
Just over one year ago, I wrote and published what turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time: I’m Sick of Subscriptions.
From that moment on, all my content was de-paywalled and made freely available. (Friday posts were always free; Tuesdays were for paid subscribers for a few years.)
I’m still sick of subscriptions. I came of age in the heyday of the old-school internet, where we all either just blogged for fun or made money via advertising.
That said, subscribing when it’s optional—solely for the purpose of saying “Thank you”—is something altogether different.
Today, for the very first time, I’m (very gently) reminding you of the option to upgrade to a paid subscription as a way to say thanks for years of book reviews and thought-provoking discussions.
Read. More. Books.
Writing this newsletter isn’t my job. (Yet.) I don’t rely on it for my family’s well-being. I do it for a single reason: for as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to tell as many people as I could about the books I’m reading. That’s it.
This publication started in February 2018 with about 20 readers. Six and a half years later, it’s approaching 10,000 readers. I’m at a loss for words after writing that—I’m blown away by it.
I’ve sent ~350 “What to Read Next” emails and have written at least 400,000 words, covering hundreds of books. What a journey!
I’m far too Midwestern to ever pressure you into a paid subscription, and I won’t ever gate the content on this newsletter, but I would sure appreciate your support. The more folks who pay for a subscription, the more likely it is I can do some things to add to Read More Books:
author interviews (which I used to do, but took a lot of work)
journalistic reporting on book/publishing news
essays on reading, work, life, etc.
guest writers!
Is there a future in which this little newsletter publishes every day, with a variety of content types, perhaps even dabbling in video/audio production? Could I build a rival to Publishers Weekly? Maybe! It’s fun to dream, isn’t it? I want to believe that’s still possible in today’s internet landscape.
To do that, I would need a mix of voluntary paid subscriptions and paid sponsorships. I introduced the sponsorship concept a while ago, but haven’t seriously pursued it simply due to my own time constraints. (If you’re interested, let me know!)
So, if you’re financially able and willing, I’d be honored to count you as a paid subscriber to Read More Books:
Annual subscription = Read More Books tote bag
Just like NPR, I’m offering a gift to those who buy an annual subscription! I’ll send this delightful and practical tote bag to the next 50 folks who sign up for an annual subscription:
If you’re one of those 50, I’ll send you an email by the end of this week to get your shipping info.
Thank you
Regardless of whether you pay for a subscription or not, thank you for your support over the years. It means the world to me.
Here’s to more years ahead and many, many more book reviews!
-Jeremy
Hi Jeremy, I really like this Substack and appreciate what you do. Since I am retired and love to read, I subscribe to around 100 Substacks. I am a paid subscriber to 5. I will eventually pay for more, but I find that many come and go, so I want to make sure they persist. I currently pay for your Big Read and really like it, too. Frankly, I find it hard to justify paying for two substacks from one author, when there are so many others that deserve my financial support. I hope you understand.